In a remarkable diplomatic turnaround, U.S. President Donald Trump and Colombian President Gustavo Petro concluded a surprisingly cordial meeting on Tuesday, setting aside months of mutual criticism to find common ground on regional security and energy cooperation.
The two-hour closed-door discussion at the White House focused primarily on combating drug trafficking and exploring potential energy exports from Venezuela through Colombian territory. President Trump emerged from the meeting praising his Colombian counterpart as ‘terrific,’ while Petro characterized the exchange as ‘optimistic and constructive.’
This positive outcome contrasted sharply with previous tensions that had seen Trump label Petro a ‘sick man’ and the Colombian leader comparing Trump’s immigration policies to those of ‘the Nazis.’ These earlier exchanges had raised concerns that the meeting might mirror Trump’s contentious 2019 Oval Office encounter with Ukrainian President Zelensky.
Significant progress was announced on several fronts. Trump revealed he was working to lift sanctions imposed on Petro last year over alleged drug trade connections—charges the Colombian president has consistently denied as ‘slander.’ Both leaders committed to joint efforts against the ELN rebel group and agreed to collaborate on targeting senior drug traffickers operating internationally, including those based in the United Arab Emirates, Europe, and the United States.
On regional energy cooperation, Petro proposed a trilateral initiative involving Venezuela, Colombia, and the United States to facilitate Venezuelan oil and gas exports, arguing that all three nations have suffered economically from current sanctions and competition. Additionally, Trump agreed to mediate an ongoing trade dispute between Colombia and Ecuador.
Despite the productive dialogue, both leaders acknowledged their fundamental policy differences remain. Petro noted that while their approaches to drug enforcement differ significantly—with Colombia favoring targeting high-level traffickers rather than aggressive interdiction methods—they focused on ‘what brings us together rather than what separates us.’
The Colombian president concluded by proposing a ‘pact for life’ to ‘make the Americas great again,’ adapting Trump’s signature campaign slogan to frame a vision for regional cooperation between political opponents seeking common ground.